Google: Who Wants To Partner With Us On Self-Driving Vehicles?

Blah..

What a load of horse$h!. I want nothing to do with autonomous cars. This will lead to the end of personal transportation.

Google wants to track everywhere the cars take you, and accidentally record your conversations in the car to try and figure out what you are talking about before target advertising to you.

Google wants to track everywhere the cars take you, and accidentally record your conversations in the car to try and figure out what you are talking about before target advertising to you.

They could use a head-up display to show ads on the windshield as the car drives you...

PASS, Self driving cars are for morons who would rather play with stupid facebook the scourge of society.

Driving is a privilage and they need to tighten up the requirements so that only good drivers get on the roads, those that can enjoy the experiance and safely drive about.

People who do not want to think about driving, take the bus.

This will be interesting to watch. Personal mobility pods can be like monorails without as great of an infrastructure cost.

In many ways, it's a hybrid between rail and automobile. It's like rail in that you won't have to look for parking or operate the vehicle, and it's like the automobile in that you don't have to be with other passengers, still insulated from society in your little metal and plastic cocoon. Its environmental impact will probably be somewhere between the two.

This will be interesting to watch. Personal mobility pods can be like monorails without as great of an infrastructure cost.

In many ways, it's a hybrid between rail and automobile. It's like rail in that you won't have to look for parking or operate the vehicle, and it's like the automobile in that you don't have to be with other passengers, still insulated from society in your little metal and plastic cocoon. Its environmental impact will probably be somewhere between the two.

That Isolation from society in a metal and plastic cocoon is what will be humanity's downfall If we stop interacting, then how does one learn to get along with others.

This will be interesting to watch. Personal mobility pods can be like monorails without as great of an infrastructure cost.

In many ways, it's a hybrid between rail and automobile. It's like rail in that you won't have to look for parking or operate the vehicle, and it's like the automobile in that you don't have to be with other passengers, still insulated from society in your little metal and plastic cocoon. Its environmental impact will probably be somewhere between the two.

That Isolation from society in a metal and plastic cocoon is what will be humanity's downfall If we stop interacting, then how does one learn to get along with others.

I interact w/ resources when I'm at work or home, don't need to whilst commuting to and from work...I like my car/SUV to be my zone of quiet or a place for listening to my own choice of music/news for an hour or so every day...and I don't need Google to do the the driving for me.

PASS, Self driving cars are for morons who would rather play with stupid facebook the scourge of society.

Driving is a privilage and they need to tighten up the requirements so that only good drivers get on the roads, those that can enjoy the experiance and safely drive about.

People who do not want to think about driving, take the bus.

First, driving is NOT a privilege, but it is supposed to be a right. You have the right to travel. It is your lovely government that fooled everyone years ago by trading in your horse for a car with a bunch of limits, then legislated the horse into impracticality.

Second, in the end, the government is going to dupe you into using self driving cars by making manual driving such a hassle that its not enjoyable or worthwhile. Writing laws so you always have to yield to the self-drivers. Programming traffic lights to turn green for self-drivers, etc.

It once was a government run by the people, now its a government that controls the people, generally by slow deception. For example, the laws in the failed SOPA are going to get passed. If not as SOPA, than as PIPA or CISPA (which is currently succeeding) or they will be installed piece by piece as riders on budgets and other boring, everyday legislation.

while you have some good forward thinking points SAmadei.... i read a short article about how the car has cleaned up the environment... basically removing all the manure horses would leave in public and around your own property that create messes to clean up after when wet, and dust when dry......it may not be cleaner, but it's more sterile... one kind of pollution for another,... sorta.

licensing is generally good for something like driving, but lots of the specifics are pretty terrible. like speed limits... when weather isn't bad and not much traffic. pretty ridiculous. along with stop lights when visibility of surrounding area is good, just turn them to yield until traffic picks up....

while you have some good forward thinking points SAmadei.... i read a short article about how the car has cleaned up the environment... basically removing all the manure horses would leave in public and around your own property that create messes to clean up after when wet, and dust when dry......it may not be cleaner, but it's more sterile... one kind of pollution for another,... sorta.

Problem is, that the horse pollution was matter that was already in circulation. The pollution that cars kick out is emissions that had been sequestered deep in the ground for millions of years. Of course, at this point, its something of a moot point, as in some cases, such as a recent test of emissions from Mythbusters, IIRC, showed that a brand new F-150 was actually emitting cleaner air than it ingested.

licensing is generally good for something like driving, but lots of the specifics are pretty terrible. like speed limits... when weather isn't bad and not much traffic. pretty ridiculous. along with stop lights when visibility of surrounding area is good, just turn them to yield until traffic picks up....

Licenses and fines are not a problem. You could get tickets in the past for "overdriving" your horse. But you didn't lose your horse license over it. The problem is that with public transportation being a problem for 90% of the people out there, and any number of judicial excuses, many unrelated to driving, to revoke your license to drive, it instantly puts a person in a position where they're ability to work a proper job or go to school is affected. Wasted manpower that can eventually become a draw on our society.

PASS, Self driving cars are for morons who would rather play with stupid facebook the scourge of society.

Driving is a privilage and they need to tighten up the requirements so that only good drivers get on the roads, those that can enjoy the experiance and safely drive about.

People who do not want to think about driving, take the bus.

First, driving is NOT a privilege, but it is supposed to be a right. You have the right to travel. It is your lovely government that fooled everyone years ago by trading in your horse for a car with a bunch of limits, then legislated the horse into impracticality.

Second, in the end, the government is going to dupe you into using self driving cars by making manual driving such a hassle that its not enjoyable or worthwhile. Writing laws so you always have to yield to the self-drivers. Programming traffic lights to turn green for self-drivers, etc.

It once was a government run by the people, now its a government that controls the people, generally by slow deception. For example, the laws in the failed SOPA are going to get passed. If not as SOPA, than as PIPA or CISPA (which is currently succeeding) or they will be installed piece by piece as riders on budgets and other boring, everyday legislation.

WRONG, Driving is a Privilage you EARN, No where in our laws does it say driving is a Right. This is just like Cell phones or the internet. Tax payers being taxed heavily have ended up subsidising the Internet for everyone at the schools and Libraries and then we end up with people saying it is a right, same with cell phones. People seem to think this is a right for everyone to have.

Nothing here is a right, but a privilage you earn by working hard to afford the ability to drive. Sorry, but I have the Right to make more money than you and earn the privilage to drive nice expensive cars.

PASS, Self driving cars are for morons who would rather play with stupid facebook the scourge of society.

Driving is a privilage and they need to tighten up the requirements so that only good drivers get on the roads, those that can enjoy the experiance and safely drive about.

People who do not want to think about driving, take the bus.

First, driving is NOT a privilege, but it is supposed to be a right. You have the right to travel. It is your lovely government that fooled everyone years ago by trading in your horse for a car with a bunch of limits, then legislated the horse into impracticality.

Second, in the end, the government is going to dupe you into using self driving cars by making manual driving such a hassle that its not enjoyable or worthwhile. Writing laws so you always have to yield to the self-drivers. Programming traffic lights to turn green for self-drivers, etc.

It once was a government run by the people, now its a government that controls the people, generally by slow deception. For example, the laws in the failed SOPA are going to get passed. If not as SOPA, than as PIPA or CISPA (which is currently succeeding) or they will be installed piece by piece as riders on budgets and other boring, everyday legislation.

WRONG, Driving is a Privilage you EARN, No where in our laws does it say driving is a Right. This is just like Cell phones or the internet. Tax payers being taxed heavily have ended up subsidising the Internet for everyone at the schools and Libraries and then we end up with people saying it is a right, same with cell phones. People seem to think this is a right for everyone to have.

Nothing here is a right, but a privilage you earn by working hard to afford the ability to drive. Sorry, but I have the Right to make more money than you and earn the privilage to drive nice expensive cars.

Seriously, it's like Driver's Ed 101--"Driving is a privilege, not a right." First sentence in EVERY Driver's Ed class.

WRONG, Driving is a Privilage you EARN, No where in our laws does it say driving is a Right. This is just like Cell phones or the internet. Tax payers being taxed heavily have ended up subsidising the Internet for everyone at the schools and Libraries and then we end up with people saying it is a right, same with cell phones. People seem to think this is a right for everyone to have.

Nothing here is a right, but a privilage you earn by working hard to afford the ability to drive. Sorry, but I have the Right to make more money than you and earn the privilage to drive nice expensive cars.

You got it completely wrong here. You can have all the money in the world, but still have the right to drive revoked for nothing related to driving. Nobody here is arguing for free cars.

There are no free cell phone service or cable TV. If you don't pay, you don't watch. If its available and you pay, and they refuse, you have a good case in court for discrimination. You do have a right to fair and equal services.

Free Internet, well, libraries provide lots of free information services, within limits. Compared to the price of books, magazines, audio recordings, video recordings, the Internet is a bargain. If you meet the criteria to use the library's resources and are refused, you also would have a good case for discrimination.

OTOH, driving a car on public roads, roads which are paid with your tax dollars, and cannot be opted out of, can be revoked for many reasons not related to driving. For example, failure to pay child support. Well, if you are down and out and cannot pay, removing your ability to find and attend work doesn't make much sense.

Anyway, our forefathers were not able to code into law everything needed 200+ years later. The 9th amendment states, basically, that just because rights are not specifically spelled out they are still valid. During our forefather's time, they did not feel it was necessary, for example, to specify that one had the right to travel via horse on public roads. Since the car replaced the horse, it is only logical that you should still have the right to drive a car. While I tend to side with state, I am not happy with the power grab the states have, so far, performed here. It is well documented that the federal government recognizes your right to drive, but arguing with the state troopers will get you nowhere. In fact, in a twist of legislative insanity, illegal aliens, which are residents of no state, clearly have the right to drive anywhere in the US.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that anarchy should reign on the highways. There should still be tickets, fines, surcharges, etc. But in the end, taking away one's ability to drive is not right. And in practice, people who lose their licenses generally ignore it anyway.

In the end, your argument of privilege is whats going to put you in a self-driving car. Privileges can be revoked without due process, unlike rights.

Seriously, it's like Driver's Ed 101--"Driving is a privilege, not a right." First sentence in EVERY Driver's Ed class.

As written by the state, not the federal government.

Driving is a privilege, not a right, as dfelt said. Sure you have the right to travel. You can travel by bus, plane, train, ship, etc. But it is a privilege to operate a motor vehicle, one you must earn.

Frankly, the privilege is too easy to earn in this country. Too many people on the road who lack the ability to understand something as simple as what a traffic light is and what the color of the lights mean are able to operate these machines.

As far as self driving cars, go. I'd love the feature. While I enjoy driving, I don't care for commuting the same roads in the same traffic jams at the same time everyday. Something you could turn on when you wanted it and turn off when you didn't would be great.

ok while i enjoy driving and don't really want a computer driving my car (mainly because of nostalgia and the fact that i really don't mind having to commute.) driving is NOT a right, no where in the bill of rights or any political document that i have ever heard of does it say that it is every Americans right to drive a car. we drive because we can not because we have to. we COULD walk every where and as a nation maybe that would be a good choice . maybe then we wouldn't be so fat. we have the right of free religion, the freedom of speech, the right to PURSUE happiness among a few obvious ones. no where is the constitution does it say anything that it is your right to drive a car.

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1. Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion and Petition
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1. Right to a speedy trial, witnesses, etc.
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1. <a href="http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment10/">Rights of the States under Constitution
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yea..... i see nothing saying congress shall make no law making it illegal to drive. while people may dissagree with this fact. that does not make it any less true.

Driving is a privilege, not a right, as dfelt said. Sure you have the right to travel. You can travel by bus, plane, train, ship, etc. But it is a privilege to operate a motor vehicle, one you must earn.

Frankly, the privilege is too easy to earn in this country. Too many people on the road who lack the ability to understand something as simple as what a traffic light is and what the color of the lights mean are able to operate these machines.

As far as self driving cars, go. I'd love the feature. While I enjoy driving, I don't care for commuting the same roads in the same traffic jams at the same time everyday. Something you could turn on when you wanted it and turn off when you didn't would be great.

DodgeFan, sounds like the cars in Demolition man. Drive when you want and auto drive when you do not.

Works for me!

In the end, your argument of privilege is whats going to put you in a self-driving car. Privileges can be revoked without due process, unlike rights.

IMO, you have that completely backward. If driving is considered a right, and so everyone should be able to do it and the government should work to ensure rights are protected and/or enabled, then automating cars would be the way to make that possible for the largest number of people. It enables driving for those who aren't physically or mentally capable of operating heavy machinery (manually driven automobiles), including children, elderly, etc. It also enables those who would not follow traffic laws if they were doing the driving.

Driving as a privilege requires the driver to have skills, abilities, and to maintain lawful behavior. Without these standards, drivers endanger the true rights of others by putting them at risk of physical harm.

I agree with others on here, there could be considered a certain right to travel, but not to driving. If someone is a dangerous driver, I'm not interested in the government protecting their right to get in a car and potentially t-bone me while I'm driving safely. They can ride the bus or call a cab. They have that right. (And if they can't behave in socially appropriate ways on the bus or in the cab, then they can walk or stay home.)

I'm tired of google invading every part of our lives. Just stick to being a search engine company and stop documenting my every move so you can blast me with advertising.

yea..... i see nothing saying congress shall make no law making it illegal to drive. while people may dissagree with this fact. that does not make it any less true.

The 9th amendment states "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

In other words, there are other rights, and they are not denied by not being included in the Constitution.

Driving as a privilege requires the driver to have skills, abilities, and to maintain lawful behavior. Without these standards, drivers endanger the true rights of others by putting them at risk of physical harm.

I agree with others on here, there could be considered a certain right to travel, but not to driving. If someone is a dangerous driver, I'm not interested in the government protecting their right to get in a car and potentially t-bone me while I'm driving safely. They can ride the bus or call a cab. They have that right. (And if they can't behave in socially appropriate ways on the bus or in the cab, then they can walk or stay home.)

You can argue all you want about revoking licenses to keep dangerous drivers off the road, but its not needed. We have laws for that. Its called vehicular assault and/or vehicular homicide. People killed others with dangerous horse driving a hundred years ago, without the threat of losing a license. The presence of a license does not stop people from driving. It does stop them from legally registering a car or insuring it. But that don't help you when they slam into your car, destroying it and injuring you. They go to prison, you suffer. Roads are not absolutely safe, you have accepted that risk whenever you go on the road to travel.

The bottom line is that driving a car is easier that driving a horse and carriage. While horses have some sense of self-preservation, they are also incredibly stupid and are easily spooked. Assuming you have the land to store the horses, you can ride a horse or drive a horse and carriage on the public roadway without a revokable license. You can lose control and easily kill people with such devices, as you can with a car.

Anyway, I'm done on this, because just because the states have fooled you into thinking its a privilege, does not make it justified. Slavery was not justified, yet it was perfectly legal for many decades of US history. If it needs more spelling out by the federal government, perhaps we need a new amendment.

SAmadei, totally agree.

when you have to swipe a license and have your id confirmed, to start and drive a car, mandated, then it will become a privilege, and not a right...but only by law.

I believe vehicles and driving should be a right. The government should supply everyone with a Chevrolet Spark EV, which will give everyone the opportunity to drive. As a bonus, it will accelerate electrification and eliminate hydrocarbons in transportation.

You can argue all you want about revoking licenses to keep dangerous drivers off the road, but its not needed. We have laws for that. Its called vehicular assault and/or vehicular homicide.

So you would have police do nothing to regulate traffic until someone kills or maims someone else? I guess we'd save a lot of money on street signs since enough people would ignore them to render them moot.

So you would have police do nothing to regulate traffic until someone kills or maims someone else? I guess we'd save a lot of money on street signs since enough people would ignore them to render them moot.

Only posting to reply to your specific question.

Police right now are only out there to generate income. They get a few people for easy violations... like speeding and harassing people in three groups... the poor, young and non-white. Do they remove dangerous people from the roads? A few... enough to look good for the statisticians to make positive graphs for them... but look at all the near misses around you and vehicular tragedy on the news. They aren't doing their job nearly well enough. Most of the people involved in these vehicular disasters are repeat offenders and should be IN JAIL. Even the people who do kill others on the road, are usually back on the road in a short time, doing a couple years or probation. Why? The jails are full of people for drug offenses... a wrongheaded prohibition that I will not get into.

Remember, the police only solve like 60% of homicides... much of which can be explained by stupid criminals... so if you are dependent on the police to save you, I have a bridge to sell you.

Anyway, when I am driving, I am assuming everyone around me is trying to kill me. It is my responsibility to ensure I get to my destination in one piece. I can count thousands of near misses that would have been an annoyance, but I also recall several times where my awareness kept me and my passengers out of the morgue by doing some extreme maneuver.

Speaking of street signs, in some places, street sign density is high enough that even I (a fast reader) occasionally have trouble keeping up. I wish the DOT would legislate a upper limit to how much signage can be plastered out there... too much signage leads to people missing the important signs.